Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom has presented to Hauwa Ojeifo, Isaac Ezirim and Kennedy Ekezie-Joseph with a Queen’s Young Leaders Award at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London in honour of the work they are doing to transform lives in their communities (in Nigeria).
Continue reading 3 Nigerians Receive Queen Elizabeth’s Young Leaders Award [2018]
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has been honored with the Commander of the Order of Mono − the highest civil honor of Togo.
The Commander of the Order of Mono national honour, bestowed on personalities who have shown exceptional merit, was awarded by the Head of State of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, on the sidelines of a visit to Togo for the launch of the Mécanisme Indicatif de Financement Agricole (MIFA), a program aimed at improving farmers’ access to finance.
MIFA is based on Nigeria’s successful experiences with NIRSAL, where it helped de-risk lending by commercial banks to agriculture.
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Dr. Adesina said:
“Transforming agriculture is the key to reviving rural economies and turning them into new zones of economic prosperity. The MIFA initiative you are launching today is another building block in Togo’s agricultural transformation strategy jointly developed by the African Development Bank and the Government of Togo, with the support of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).
When fully implemented, it is expected to rapidly increase bank lending to the agricultural sector, reduce interest rates, and reach 1 million farmers with access to credit in the next 3-5 years.”
In attendance at the event were President Gnassingbé and members of his cabinet, including Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou, members of the diplomatic corps, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, NIRSAL CEO, Aliyu Hameed, as well as representatives from the private sector.
The African Development Bank has helped Togo implement AgriPME, a system that allows farmers to access fertilizer using their mobile phones.
In 2016/2017, more than 77,500 farmers, 38% of them women, received their fertilizers through the system. AgriPME has allowed the government to better target farmers and deliver subsidized farm inputs. AgriPME has also improved transparency, accountability and increased public spending efficiency. A total of 40,000 MT of fertilizer were provided to farmers, compared to 30,000 MT on average over the period 2009-2015, an increase of 45%. The system has also led to CFAF 3.5 billion in savings for the Government of Togo.
Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has named Aliko Dangote an Ambassador for Responsible Tourism in the framework of the 61st Regional Commission meeting for Africa, celebrated in Abuja, Nigeria.
Continue reading Aliko Dangote Named UNWTO’s First African Ambassador For Responsible Tourism
West Africa Health Examinations Board (WAHEB) Registrar/CEO, Dr. Gladys Nchelem Ihunda, has received the 13th edition of the Nelson Mandela African Leadership Award on Administration and Humanitarian Services Per-Excellence. The event held at Central Medical Laboratory Hall, Yaba, Lagos.
African Youth Parliament (AYP) Speaker, Hon. Bamikole Oladele Babs, leading the conferment of the award, said AYP’s quest seeking outstanding humanitarianism, found all the qualities required to win the international award in Dr. Ihunda.
He said:
“We seek to find ourselves role models, outstanding and mentors in life as we found in Dr. (Mrs.) Gladys Nchelem Ihunda, an erudite peace builder, experienced woman of invaluable intellectual prowess, a proven public and private sector leader par-excellence.”
Ambassador Peters Emuze has been elected to the United Nations (UN) Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) to represent the African continent for a four-year tenure, in a keenly-contested election held at the UN Headquarters, New York.
CESCR is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors countries’ compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of citizens by its States parties. The committee was established under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 1985/17 of May 28, 1985, to carry out the monitoring functions assigned to the UN ECOSOC.
Peters Emuze, who entered the race barely two months to the election, beat candidates of six other countries; Algeria, Sudan, Niger, Uganda, Cameroon and Mauritius, who had been campaigning for upward of one year. His victory, in securing the first of the two seats for Africa is seen as a ‘feather’ for Nigeria which would also improve Nigeria’s future “diplomatic leverage”.
However, Cameroon withdrew at the last minute while Mauritius’ candidate defeated Algeria’s in a run-off to secure the second seat for Africa.
Fielding candidates for CESCR would require the country’s permanent mission to the UN. In this instance, the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN at New York and Geneva, in conjunction with all the 54 Nigerian missions in ECOSOC member states, coordinated the process and canvassed for votes for the position.
Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, wrote to all the 54-Member States of ECOSOC, seeking their support for Nigeria’s candidate.
Nigeria’s Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Samson Itegboje, said it became impossible to get countries to step down for Nigeria, as all of them wanted to “go for broke”.
According to Nigeria’s Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN:
“The victory has raised our profile on the international stage. I don’t think there are many countries that can pull such outing, two months to the election. We can call it a miracle but it was a result of hard work, strategy and good relations.
Also, we presented the best, as our candidate has got the required experience including being the former Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN Offices in Geneva.”
After the election, Ambassador Peters Emuze pledged:
“Nigeria long signed the treaty and that means Nigeria is ready to comply with various international human rights instruments as a responsible member of the international community.
It is also fulfilling one of its foreign policy options.
Nigeria is also in tune with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter and the African Human Rights Charter.
So, Nigeria cannot be aloof to these issues of human rights because they are contemporary, modern times.
Nigeria has always believed in the covenants of the United Nations with regards to human rights.”
Peters Emuze, a retired career diplomat for 33 years, rose to become a Special Grade Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as Head of Mission at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in Geneva.
Emuze had also served in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in Zambia, the Netherlands, Italy, Hong Kong, and proficient in human rights issues.
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), has received the Order of the Star of Africa with the Grade of Grand Band of the Republic of Liberia, during an investiture ceremony hosted by Liberian Head of State, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, at the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Monrovia, Liberia.
The award honours Dr. Adesina’s visible and tireless commitment to the rapid economic development of Liberia through, among others, the implementation of the Bank’s first and second priorities as set out in the High 5s: Light up and power Africa and Feed Africa.
Nigeria has emerged as the new Chair of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC).
At the 4th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the GGC, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo called on member states to urgently address the socio-economic and security challenges facing the Commission. He said the members would achieve this by collectively taking measures to check violations of domestic and international treaties in the Gulf.
The vice president identified the challenges facing the commission to include a rise in maritime insurance premiums for vessels coming into the Gulf, increased threats and reduced commercial traffic to the region as well as unregulated and unreported fishing. He also charged the member states to take measures to reduce pollution and environmental degradation in the Gulf of Guinea, lauding the individual efforts of some of the member states who improved the capacities and capability of their Navy and other relevant organisations to enable them perform their duties more effectively.
In his statement:
“In conformity with the theme of the 4th Ordinary Session which is; “A Vibrant Gulf of Guinea Region for sustainable Development’’, let us renew our commitment to making the Gulf of Guinea more effective and a truly vibrant partner in all our efforts, be it regional, national or international, to ensure a zone of peace, security and sustainable development for our countries, our peoples and other stakeholders in the region. This effort is capped by the establishment of the inter-regional coordination centre based in Yaoundé, Cameroun, as the collaborative link between the two maritime regional centres led by ECOWAS and ECCAS.’’
The National Security Adviser to the President, Babagana Monguno, observed that the meeting was a framework for consultations among the countries of the GCC, and that current situation in the Gulf of Guinea region especially the surge in illegal activities of piracy, illicit drugs, arms and human trafficking, illegal immigration, environmental pollution and degradation calls for greater attention from member countries to curb these activities. He maintained that an improvement of Maritime security could positively contribute to increased national, regional and continental stability and by the same token make a sustainable contribution to global security, He noting that Nigeria on its part had continued to develop the capacity of its armed forces particularly the Navy and other Maritime agencies to effectively tackle these challenges.
Mr. Monguno said other measures being implemented include; employment of the robust maritime domain awareness capability through the employment of the original maritime awareness capability and the Falcon Eye Project, activation of a Naval Taskforce to combat piracy and related attacks on shipping and oil and gas infrastructure, establishment of 37 check points by the Nigerian Navy to ensure continuous presence and monitoring of crude oil thefts in the Niger Delta area, the conduct of regular sea exercises by the Nigerian Navy such as exercise Eagle Eye, to improve its state of readiness and proficiency. He disclosed that Nigeria had also prepared the draft anti-piracy bill to give effect to the relevant provisions of the United Nations Conventions of the Law of the Sea of 1982 and the Convention for the Suppression of Illegal Acts at Sea 1982 and its protocol of 2005 to punish and deter piracy and other maritime crimes.
In his words:
“Suffice it to say that maritime security and economic prosperity are interdependent and mutually re-enforcing. The Nigerian Navy has been maintaining a strong presence in Maritime area with a band configuration and operations capabilities to deal with surface, air and underwater threats. Indeed, the surveillance capabilities of the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency are being developed to ensure a secure environment within the domain as well as in the Gulf of Guinea. In addition, the Nigerian Navy has been cooperating with neighbouring countries and allies in Nigeria’s Maritime area of interest with a view to pursue security and safety.
Nigeria has ascribed to the continent’s maritime charter on maritime security safety and development in Africa, this was done on 15th of October, 2016 with the aim of strengthening the inter-agency for national coordination and cooperation to tackle maritime issues for the region. Nigeria has also ratified The United Nations Organised Crime Convention which enjoins parties to criminalize practices and combat that subject human beings to all forms of exploitation. Nigeria has adopted a strategic framework such as the 2015 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy and the Yaoundé Code of Conduct for the repression of piracy and other illicit maritime activities within the Gulf of Guinea.’’
Mr. Monguno noted that the security challenges confronting the member states of the GGC, which had continued to impact negatively on the development of the region, called for concerted and unrelenting efforts by all stakeholders. The NSA observed that the Gulf of Guinea provided a verifiable platform to tackling these numerous security challenges. He therefore, called for increased cooperation and collaboration among member states as well as support for the GGC to enhance its capacity to deliver on its mandate.
The Executive Secretary of the GGC, Florentine Ukonga, called on member states to support the proposed Revitalisation Strategy of the GGC, saying that under the proposal the secretariat would establish five new committees for effective management of the commission.